Highlights from Maine's first gubernatorial debate
The recent hardships of Maine’s paper industry and a proposal to raise the minimum wage were two of the many issues discussed in the state's first gubernatorial debate this year.
The debate was hosted by the Portland Community Chamber at the Holiday Inn by the Bay’s large conference room in Portland early Wednesday morning.
Republican Gov. Paul LePage, Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud and independent Eliot Cutler were all present and spoke for nearly an hour total.
Here are a few highlights of what each candidate had to say:
Minimum Wage
LePage, who has vetoed a past attempt by the state Legislature to increase the minimum wage, suggested that he would support a nationwide increase — though not to what extent. He said, however, that he would oppose an increase at the state level because it would make Maine an outlier and non-competitive with other states. He said the state should focus on attracting more high-paying jobs instead.
“How about living wages? How about $25 an hour job? $40 an hour job? 50 an hour job?,” LePage said. “That’s the jobs I’m going after. Minimum wage: I’ll leave that to my opponents.”
Michaud, who helped increase the federal minimum wage in Congress, said the state should increase minimum wage, which is currently $7.50 an hour in Maine, to $9, adding that cities like Portland shouldn't have to push their own campaigns in what he called a piecemeal approach.
He said 13 states that have raised minimum wage have seen faster economic growth, suggesting that people who make more money will spend more at local businesses.
“I want to work with the business community to see how we can do that,” he said.
Cutler, who has also been a proponent of increasing minimum wage, expressed general support but admitted that even increasing it to $9 or $10 an hour is probably not a livable wage. He said a “level playing field” needs to be made by pushing for a minimum wage increase at the federal level.
But, Cutler added, a minimum wage hike alone is not enough.
“We need the kinds of jobs that do pay not only $20 or $30 or $40 an hour but the jobs that pay even more that,” he said. “We need to raise the ceiling in Maine because right now incomes in Maine are 40% behind the rest of New England. That needs to be fixed.”
The paper and manufacturing industries
LePage said the paper industry is going through a major transformation, though despite the closure of three major paper mills in Maine this year, there are still signs of progress. He said he is going to a groundbreaking event for a tissue plant in Washington County this Friday. He also said that more manufacturing companies are expected to come to Maine in the next few months.
LePage said the state’s natural gas pipeline capacity needs to be expanded to help manufacturing companies deal with energy costs. And he added that five companies he didn’t mention by name are lined up to buy the power plant at Verso’s paper mill in Bucksport.
“The problem is 570 people are going to lose their jobs and those are the people we’ve got to re-energize and make sure that they get a job If they can’t stay in Bucksport,” he said. “I’m not convinced [the Verso mill] is going to close. If we had the capacity for natural gas here, they’d be fine.”
Michaud, who worked for the Great Northern Paper mill for more than two decades, said the paper industry is still viable in Maine, and that tax incentives such as the Business Equipment Tax Relief program need to be kept consistent in order to help manufacturers.
“We can’t change the rules in the middle of the game,” he said. “That has happened for a number of different projects under this administration.”
Michaud added that the state also needs to continue to advocate for fair trade deals and collaborate with other states in expanding the regional natural gas pipeline capacity.
Cutler, said the industry is currently going through a real transition in Maine. He urged LePage to use discretionary funds to help the approximately 570 workers who will be laid off from Verso’s Bucksport mill later this year. He added that whoever ends up buying Verso's power plant in Bucksport should also use the mill's manufacturing capabilities.
Cutler also urged LePage and others to avoid another deal like the one with Cate Street Capital, the New Hampshire-based investment firm that’s been involved with the revitalization of Great Northern Paper Co., which has since filed for bankruptcy.
Other issues discussed at Wednesday’s debate included the future of education, Medicaid expansion and the issue of retaining young, educated workers in Maine.
Find more coverage of the debate here:
• https://www.pressherald.com/2014/10/08/maine-governor-hopefuls-to-face-off-in-first-debate/
• https://news.mpbn.net/post/audio-governor-candidates-spar-over-health-care-jobs
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